University to Open Laboratory Critical to Drug Development

Event: Opening of UT Advance, a laboratory for conducting U.S. Food and Drug Administration-mandated studies that allow new drug products to move from research to human clinical trials. The facility is open to university and private-sector researchers. Speakers include:
State Sen. Kirk Watson
Provost Steven Leslie
Dean of the College of Pharmacy, M. Lynn Crismon
Janet Walkow, executive director of the facility

What to see: UT Austin researchers will conduct tours of the lab. Good visuals for TV and print.

Background: Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin are developing drugs to treat lung transplant recipients and people suffering from cancer, viruses such as influenza and other diseases affecting pediatric and adult populations. University researchers also are designing novel drug delivery systems. The new UT Advance facility will provide crucial testing on potential drug products developed by university researchers and companies before they are approved for clinical trials in humans. The UT Advance facility will help UT Austin researchers get drugs from their labs to patients faster, more efficiently and at less cost.